short stories shared for discussion with your friends and family

Story time with Debbie

Today’s episode is “未来のペット (mirai no petto)《Future Pet》.
This episode is JLPT-N5 level.

I created a quiz on this episode.
After listening, please take the quiz!

Please use this audio for listening and shadowing practices.

☆Words
未来（みらい）：future
ペット：pet
居酒屋（いざかや）：izakaya (Japanese pub)
動物（どうぶつ）：animal
～なぁ：《suffix expressing casualness or familiarity》
ペットショップ：pet shop
店員（てんいん）：clerk
いらっしゃいませ：welcome
僕（ぼく）：I, used by males
箱（はこ）：box
ロボット：robot
本当（ほんとう）：real
同（おな）じ：same
ちがう：different
簡単（かんたん）：easy
飼（か）う：to own, to keep as a pet
笑（わら）う：to laugh
窓（まど）：window
こわい：scary
嫌（きら）い：dislike
住（す）む：to live
人間（にんげん）：human
嫌（いや）：don't like it
悪（わる）い：bad
思（おも）い出（だ）す：to remember

☆Conjugation of verbs
ます形（けい）《masu-form》
て形（けい）《te-form》
じしょ形（けい）《dictionary-form》
た形（けい）《ta-form》

☆Script for this episode
The scripts (URL) are listed in the overview section of the channel.

☆Quiz for this episode
https://www.italki.com/quiz/set/18640?utm_source=copylink_share&utm_medium=share_content&utm_campaign=share_quiz

Simple Japanese Listening with Meg（めぐ）Smile

#50 Short story / 未来のペット《Future Pet》/ storytelling // N5 Level / Japanese listening

I’ll introduce Japanese culture in easy Japanese.
Today’s Theme is “おせち《osechi》”.
This episode is JLPT-N3 level.

I created a quiz on this episode.
After listening, please take the quiz!

Please use this audio for listening and shadowing practices.

☆Words☆
おせち料理（りょうり）：traditional Japanese New Year feast
伝統的（でんとうてき）な：traditional
元日（がんじつ）：New Year's Day
黒豆（くろまめ）：sweet black soybeans
大豆（だいず）：soy
祈（いの）る：pray
えび：shrimp
ひげ：beard
曲（ま）がる：bend
老人（ろうじん）：elderly person
長生（ながい）きする：live long
昆布巻（こぶま）き：konbu rolls
鮭（さけ）：salmon
巻（ま）く：roll
数（かず）の子（こ）：herring roe
ニシン：herring
栗（くり）きんとん：sweet potato with chestnuts
さつまいも：sweet potato
栗（くり）：chestnut
混（ま）ぜる：mix
貯（た）める：save
伊達巻（だてま）き：sweet rolled omelet
オムレツ：omelette
巻物（まきもの）：scroll, rolled book
紅白（こうはく）かまぼこ：Red and White Fish Cake
かまぼこ：boiled fish paste
日（ひ）の出（で）：sunrise
箸（はし）：chopsticks
祝（いわ）い箸（ばし）：special festival chopsticks for New Year
一方（いっぽう）：one side
神人共食（しんじんきょうしょく）：God and humans eating together

☆Script for this episode
The scripts (URL) are listed in the overview section of the channel.

☆Quiz for this episode


#49 Japanese culture / おせち《osechi》 // N3 Level /Japanese listening

Today’s episode is “星のプレゼント (hoshi no purezento)《Gift of the Star》.
I created a Christmas story.
This episode is JLPT-N4 level.

I created a quiz on this episode.
After listening, please take the quiz!

Please use this audio for listening and shadowing practices.

☆Words
星（ほし）：star
物語（ものがたり）：story
両親（りょうしん）：parents
経営（けいえい）する：manage
下（した）を向（む）く：look down
嘘（うそ）をつく：tell a lie
予定（よてい）：plan
インターホン：intercom
キラキラ：twinkle
光（ひか）る：shine
怖（こわ）い：scary
妖精（ようせい）：fairy
お願（ねが）い：wish
魔法（まほう）：magic
星空（ほしぞら）：starry sky
涙（なみだ）：tears
君（きみ）：you
願（ねが）いが叶（かな）う：wish come true

☆Script for this episode
The scripts (URL) are listed in the overview section of the channel.

☆Quiz for this episode
https://www.italki.com/quiz/set/18259?utm_source=copylink_share&utm_medium=share_content&utm_campaign=share_quiz

#48 Short story / 星のプレゼント《Gift of the Star》/ storytelling // N4 Level / Japanese listening

Today’s episode is “冬の家族物語 (fuyu no kazoku monogatari)《Winter Family Tale》.
I created a story about spending time with family in Japan during December and January.
This episode is JLPT-N5 level.

I created a quiz on this episode.
After listening, please take the quiz!

Please use this audio for listening and shadowing practices.

☆Words
電気毛布（でんきもうふ）：electric blanket
雪合戦（ゆきがっせん）：snowball fight
雪（ゆき）だるま：snowman
お腹（なか）が空（す）く：hungry
温（あたた）かい：warm
かぼちゃ：pumpkin
準備（じゅんび）：preparation
飾（かざ）る：decorate
サンタさん：Santa Claus
人形（にんぎょう）：doll
楽（たの）しみにする：look forward to
イチゴ：strawberry
冬休（ふゆやす）み：winter vacation
温泉（おんせん）：hot spring
卓球（たっきゅう）：table tennis
神社（じんじゃ）：shrine

☆Script for this episode
The scripts (URL) are listed in the overview section of the channel.

☆Quiz for this episode
https://www.italki.com/quiz/set/17990?utm_source=copylink_share&utm_medium=share_content&utm_campaign=share_quiz

#47 Short story / 冬の家族物語《Winter Family Tale》/ storytelling // N5 Level / Japanese listening

Today’s Theme is “１年間（ねんかん）の挑戦（ちょうせん）！勉強（べんきょう）を続（つづ）けてわかったこと”.
This episode is JLPT-N3 level.

Please use this audio for listening and shadowing practices.

☆Words☆
挑戦（ちょうせん）：challenge
法律（ほうりつ）：law
駅弁（えきべん）：Ekiben《Train station boxed lunch》
景色（けしき）：view
モチベーション：motivation
資格試験（しかくしけん）：qualification exam
ただ：only, just

☆Script for this episode
The scripts (URL) are listed in the overview section of the channel.

#46 １年間の挑戦！勉強を続けてわかったこと // N3 Level /Japanese listening

Today’s Theme is “新（あたら）しい習慣（しゅうかん）《New habits》”.
This episode is JLPT-N4 level.

I created a quiz on this episode.
After listening, please take the quiz!

Please use this audio for listening and shadowing practices.

☆Words
習慣（しゅうかん）： habit
太陽（たいよう）：sun
新鮮（しんせん）な：fresh
空気（くうき）：air
環境（かんきょう）：environment
心（こころ）を落（お）ち着（つ）かせる：calm down

☆Script for this episode


#45 新しい習慣《New habits》 // N4 Level / Japanese listening

Today’s episode is “たけしの夏 (Takeshi no natsu)《Takeshi's Summer》.
This episode is JLPT-N5 level.

I created a quiz on this episode.
After listening, please take the quiz!

Please use this audio for listening and shadowing practices.

☆Words
小学生（しょうがくせい）《shoogakusee》：elementary school student
夏休（なつやす）み《natsuyasumi》：summer vacation

～が 見（み）える／見（み）えない《～ga mieru / mienai》：be seen / can not be seen

庭（にわ）《niwa》：garden, yard
地震（じしん）《jishin》：earthquake
穴（あな）《ana》：hole
怖（こわ）い《kowai》：scary
暗（くら）い《kurai》：dark
突然（とつぜん）《totsuzen》：suddenly
明（あか）るくなる《akarukunaru》：become brighter
～に 落（お）ちる《～ni ochiru》：fall

目（め）を 開（あ）ける／閉（と）じる《me o akeru / tojiru》：open one's eyes / close one's eyes

妖精（ようせい）《yoosee》：fairy
魔法（まほう） の 世界（せかい）《mahoo no sekai》：The Magic World

星（ほし）《hoshi》：star
花火（はなび） 《hanabi》：fireworks
空（そら）《sora》：sky

☆Script for this episode
The scripts (URL) are listed in the overview section of the channel.

☆Quiz for this episode
https://www.italki.com/quiz/set/14761?utm_source=copylink_share&utm_medium=share_content&utm_campaign=share_quiz

#44 Short story / たけしの夏《Takeshi's Summer》/ storytelling // N5 Level / Japanese listening

I’ll introduce Japanese culture in easy Japanese.
Today’s Theme is “お盆（ぼん）《Bon festival》”.
This episode is JLPT-N3 level.

I created a quiz on this episode.
After listening, please take the quiz!

Please use this audio for listening and shadowing practices.

☆Words☆
お盆（ぼん）：Bon festival
Obon is one of the Buddhist events. In Buddhism, it is believed that the spirits of family ancestors come back to this world during the Obon period between July and August, and a series of events take place to commemorate them.
Obon is regarded as one of the most important family occasions of the year in Japan.
Although Obon is not an official holiday, many offices are temporarily closed for business during this period. 

盆踊（ぼんおど）り：Bon Festival dance
Bon Odori is a traditional Japanese dance that is generally performed at events or festivals during Obon holidays.
Participants wear yukata, a casual traditional Kimono-style garment, and dance to traditional music while circling around a stage to honor the spirits of ancestors.

移動（いどう）する：move

仏教（ぶっきょう）：Buddhism

先祖（せんぞ）：ancestor

もてなす：treat / welcome

仏壇（ぶつだん）：Buddhist altar

迎（むか）え火（び）：welcoming fire
“迎え火” is a sacred fire that is often burned on August 13th in front of each household to guide the spirits of their ancestors back home.

提灯（ちょうちん）：chochin lantern

送（おく）り火（び）：seeing off fire
"送り火"is lit on the last day of Obon, which is generally August 16th to send the ancestors back to their world.

五山送り火（ござんのおくりび）：
The Send-off Bonfires of Five Mountains (Gozan no Okuribi) refers to the annual bonfires lit at various 5 locations including Nyoigatake (Mt. Nyoi known as Mt. Daimonji) on August 16 in Kyoto City.

阿波踊（あわおど）り：
“阿波踊り” is the largest and the most famous bon festival dance in Japan, attracting more than 1 million visitors from August 12 to 15 every year. 

☆Script for this episode
The scripts (URL) are listed in the overview section of the channel.

☆Quiz for this episode
